Sensorimotor synchronization (SMS), the coordination of body movements with external stimuli (e.g., dancing, clapping along with music, sport activities), increases throughout childhood when assessed by finger-tapping (FT) tasks following rhythmic auditory cues using metronomes. However, metronomes may support less rhythmic entrainment than naturalistic auditory cues like music, so they may be less effective in showing developmental improvement. This study investigated the effects of age and sex on SMS comparing metronome versus music stimuli in four auditory FT tasks with regular fast (inter-stimulus interval [ISI] = 333 ms) and slow tempi (ISI = 1,000 ms). Participants were 305 typically developing children aged 6 to 11 years. We found improvement (lower variability) in performance with increasing age irrespective of the metronome or music FT and sex, particularly between 6 and 9 years, after which performance stabilized. Nonetheless, mostly irrespective of age, performance for music and metronome stimuli showed differences in synchronization accuracy and variability, indicating that the type of rhythmic stimuli affects performance. A developmental effect was also found in inter-tap variability (but not inter-tap accuracy). Overall, developmental effects were more robust in FT variability (motor implementation) although responses to music and metronome stimuli differed in ways that may be relevant to SMS deficits in clinical populations.

中文翻译：

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学龄儿童与音乐和节拍器的感觉运动同步

感觉运动同步 (SMS)，即身体运动与外部刺激（例如，跳舞、随着音乐一起拍手、体育活动）的协调，在使用节拍器跟随有节奏的听觉线索通过手指敲击 (FT) 任务进行评估时，在整个童年时期都会增加。然而，与音乐等自然听觉线索相比，节拍器可能支持较少的节奏夹带，因此它们在显示发育改善方面可能不太有效。本研究调查了年龄和性别对 SMS 的影响，比较了四种听觉 FT 任务中的节拍器与音乐刺激，其中常规快速（刺激间间隔 [ISI] = 333 毫秒）和慢速（ISI = 1,000 毫秒）。参与者是 305 名 6 至 11 岁的典型发育儿童。我们发现，无论节拍器或音乐的 FT 和性别如何，随着年龄的增长，性能都会有所改善（变异性降低），尤其是在 6 到 9 岁之间，之后性能稳定下来。尽管如此，无论年龄大小，音乐和节拍器刺激的表现都表现出同步准确性和可变性的差异，这表明节奏刺激的类型会影响表现。在抽头间变异性（但不是抽头间准确性）中也发现了发展效应。总体而言，尽管对音乐和节拍器刺激的反应在可能与临床人群中 SMS 缺陷相关的方式上有所不同，但 FT 变异性（运动实施）的发育影响更为稳健。音乐和节拍器刺激的表演表现出同步准确性和可变性的差异，表明节奏刺激的类型会影响表演。在抽头间变异性（但不是抽头间准确性）中也发现了发展效应。总体而言，尽管对音乐和节拍器刺激的反应在可能与临床人群中 SMS 缺陷相关的方式上有所不同，但 FT 变异性（运动实施）的发育影响更为稳健。音乐和节拍器刺激的表演表现出同步准确性和可变性的差异，表明节奏刺激的类型会影响表演。在抽头间变异性（但不是抽头间准确性）中也发现了发展效应。总体而言，尽管对音乐和节拍器刺激的反应在可能与临床人群中 SMS 缺陷相关的方式上有所不同，但 FT 变异性（运动实施）的发育影响更为稳健。